The present invention is an improvement in ball path indicating systems for bowling pin spotting machines of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,779 to Gruss et al of Oct. 19, 1965, for (1) selectively actuated ball path indicating system, U.S. Pat. No. 3,223,416 to Blewitt, Jr., Dec. 14, 1965, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,832 to Blewitt, Jr., of Aug. 12, 1969, for (2) bowling path indicator, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,633 to Walsh et al of Oct. 15, 1974, for (3) bowling ball path indicator. These patents are assigned to AMF Incorporated, the assignee of the present invention.
Such ball path indicating systems generally include for each pin spotting machine, means, operative prior to the rolling of the ball of a frame, for determining the number and arrangement of standing pins, which means is associated with means for computing and selecting the optimum point of entry into an array of standing pins which the next ball should take to achieve maximum scoring results. Further, for each pin spotting machine an indicator is provided, coupled to the computer which is actuated to indicate to the bowler the optimum points so selected by the computer. The bowler, by following the visual directions provided by the indicating system, rolls his ball accordingly and if his aim is true will known down the maximum number of standing pins each time.
The foregoing sophisticated but highly desirable ball path indication and automatic selection of the ball path for maximized scoring has heretofore required a central ball path computer for up to, for example, 50 individual pin spotter machines and that computer acts to calculate a multiplicity of ball paths for a bowler at any given pin spotter upon the receipt of a call signal and a standing pin information signal from that given pin spotter.
In the system of the Walsh et al patent, the most recent of those above noted, the computer is provided with a scan sequence selector for selecting, through a predetermined interrogation sequence, one of 19 possible ball paths resulting from the various permutations and combinations of standing pins remaining on a bowling alley after the rolling of the first ball. By scanning the 19 possible ball paths in a predetermined sequence, the optimum path will be resolved as the first path to be detected in the scanning sequence.
Further, in that scanning sequence selector invention of Walsh et al, standing pin information was brought into the sequence scan selector through 19 input lines to a diode logic matrix having 11 output lines and each of said output lines controlled a respecting one of 11 ball path indicator relays which in turn are respectively actuated to illuminate a particular ball path indicator on the face plate of the pin spotter. Thus, 11 ultimate ball paths are utilized since many ball paths have common characteristics despite the fact that at any given time after a first ball has been rolled, there are 1,023 possible conditions of standing pins remaining on the bowling alley.
As can be seen from the foregoing discussion of the prior art, the requirement for a centralized computer, scan sequence selector, and resultant wiring and interconnection and compatible signal exchange between the scan selector, central computer and all of the pin spotter units in an establishment is a complex and sophisticated system. Accordingly, there is a standing and long-felt need in the art to simplify the equipment providing the highly desirable automatic ball path indication function together with indications of remaining pins standing after the rolling of a first ball.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simplified ball path indicating system for automatic pin spotting machines which obviates the need for a scan sequence selector and central computer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel ball path selector system for automatic pin spotting machines which is self-contained within the individual pin spotter and which requires no external control circuitry to effectuate the desired indication of ball path and standing pins.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more fully apparent with reference to the following specification and drawings which relate to a preferred embodiment of the invention.